DP: Learning About Phantom
by HellsArchangel0
Summary: The students want to learn more about Phantom, but do they know what they're getting themselves into? (One-shot)


**_Fun Fact: This, too, was my English homework. I had a narrative due in English but it had to be about 5 pages in google drive double spaced and Times New Roman twelve point font, and I didn't have any fanfics that short- damn me and my minimum word count- so I had to make a new one, what a tragedy right? Another fun fact, did you know that my DP: Ghost Zone fic is ninety eight pages long on google drive? Holy crap! Ive never written anything that long in my life until now! Anyway, enough with my rambling, enjoy!_**

 ** _EDIT: Wow, I don't know what happened to this, but hopefully it worked this time. Did you guys see just a bunch of numbers and letters and stuff? Or was it just me?_**

I sat cross-legged in the air, hovering in front of all my classmates as I hooked my thermos back onto my belt, Spectra captured inside. A blond haired boy grinned as he looked up at me, raising his hand and jumping to ensure I saw him. Chuckling, I pointed at him, indicating his chance to speak.

"This is so cool! Okay, um… what were you like in school? I bet you were a jock!" He puffed out his chest proudly, straightening his red and white letter jacket to ensure I noticed it.

"I was a nerd, actually." Everyone in the room looked at me, their eyes wide and mouths agape, the nerds grinning from ear to ear. "I was lanky, weak, an outcast. I loved Science and Math the best. I was the kid getting bullied every day."

"Have you continued your studies?" I turned to Mr. Lancer, surprised to find him joining, instead of being annoyed that I basically distracted his entire class. "What's your knowledge up to now? College? Higher?" I frowned, glancing to the floor before looking back up at Mr. Lancer.

"No, of course not. I was younger than all of you when I died."

"You didn't keep studying after you kicked the bucket?" I smiled up at them, the gesture not quite reaching my eyes.

"Well I haven't had much time. I only bit the dust a year or so ago." Everyone stared at me, their horror-stricken faces lined with sympathy.

"How old were you?! How old are you?!"

"I was fourteen when I died so I would be fifteen now." I took a second to think. The date was… October twelfth! "Actually, today is the anniversary of my death." I chuckled, the sound flat and hollow. "Time flies when you're getting beat to a pulp." I floated over to the window, glancing out at the town around us.

"Did... did any of us know you?" Mikey reluctantly whispered. I turned back around, looking at each of them individually before answering.

"All of you." A pregnant pause followed, all of my classmates and my teacher grasping at the seemingly impossible situation.

"But, nobody I know has died in the last two years. I think I would remember that." I shook my head.

"Nobody noticed, nobody knows. I died, that doesn't mean I accepted it." I stated, lowering my eyes in shame. "I hide myself among humans. You talk to me daily. Not even my parents know I'm dead. And they won't. Not until I'm ready or something happens." My hand shot up to my throat as a cold shiver ran up my spine, my breath coming out in white puffs.

"Everyone will know when you disappear onto my mantle." I turned, flinching backwards when I noticed the guns pointed at me. And at the students behind me.

"Hey Skulker. New upgrades?" The mechanical ghost grinned, his metal teeth grinding together as the metal folded in on itself to match a grin.

"Always. And always better than the last." Grabbing the thermos off my belt, I pressed the button, quickly sucking skulker in as his guns fired. The thought of my intangibility crossed my mind, before remembering that if I got hit, the others wouldn't. I closed my eyes and held my breath, the impacts hitting my head and chest and throwing me backwards.

I could faintly hear people whispering above me, my head throbbing as I attempted to drag myself into a seated position. I paused, swallowing as I felt my own familiar heartbeat pulsing slowly in my chest. I put my hand out in front of me, the sight of my familiar pale skin making my breath hitch.

"F-Fenton? You're d-dead?" My jaw clenched, my hands lifting to run through my hair.

"No one was supposed to find out." I could feel everyone in the room take a step away from me, their hearts racing. "NO ONE WAS SUPPOSED TO KNOW!" I yanked at the cold spot just behind my navel, my transformation rings washing over me as I jumped through the window.

The whole school avoided me for the next week, and I avoided them right back. After Dash and the rest of the A-List that was present that day started to avoid me, the rest of the A-List followed suit, and soon enough I had a three foot bubble around me at all times, whether the people around me knew why or not. It was only after a standard procedure meeting with my parents that my english class even glanced my way again.

I shoved open the classroom door, the handle hitting the wall as I bypassed my original seat and made my way to the back corner of the room, lowering my eyes as I noticed the green glow emanating from them. I glanced to the side as I spotted a pair of feet approach my desk, lightly glaring at the tiles below me before looking up at the person.

"Daniel, what your mother said-" Mr. Lancer swallowed, biting his lip in thought. "What she said about ghosts not… not being able to feel pain or- or have feelings…" I sighed, thinking back to the speech.

'Of course not! Ghosts can't actually feel pain, you see. All they feel is a memory of what pain is like. Almost as if thinking back to a memory of breaking a bone, or scraping your knee.' I felt as cold tears streamed down my cheeks, leaving trails of frost down my face.

"Daniel, this isn't...?" The question was obvious. He didn't need to finish it and, frankly, I didn't want him to. I could feel my chest ache at the implications of his words, my breathing, however unneeded, speeding up and becoming shallow.

"No..." I reached up, wiping the frost from my face as I looked up at their perplexed faces. "No, none of it is true. Do you actually think that they've ever talked to a ghost? Been around one long enough to realize that, not only are the feelings real, but the pain is too?" They winced as they scanned my exposed skin, finally noticing all of the well hidden scars and wounds. "No, they shoot first ask questions later. No. Exceptions."

"But Daniel, you're-" I glared up at him, causing his mouth to shut with a clack of his teeth.

"Half ghost, half human, full freak." I scoffed, looking down at my scarred hands. "Yeah, thanks for the reminder."

"They would never... would they?"

"I wouldn't put money on it, let alone my life. The first vivisection was enough, thank you." I chuckled darkly, my hand lowering down to rest on my chest.

"The first... what?"

"Vivisection? You know, when someone takes a conscious specimen and tears it open to study it from the inside?" I stood, lifting my baggy shirt to reveal more scars, along with wounds and one scar that would leave anyone with nightmares. Taking up the entirety of my torso, there was a long, Y shaped scar, unmistakable to even an untrained eye. "Its funny, up until a week ago, I felt safe in Fentonworks. I called it home, because no matter what they said, they never actually caught me. I guess I ran out of luck."

"Daniel, I am so sorry that this happened to you but you cannot keep this to yourself. You must see someone, anyone!"

"And tell them what, exactly? 'My parents sliced me open but you can't arrest them because technically it wasn't me, but my dead alter ego!' I'd be in a nuthouse or a science lab before I could even blink."

"Daniel, please, I'm begging you. This isn't healthy!"

"Sorry to burst your bubble, Mr. Lancer, but i'm already dead. You can't really get much more 'unhealthy' than that." His eyes briefly closed, before looking back down at me.

"Please, Daniel, you have to get some help." My teeth ground against each other as I looked up at Mr. Lancer, sighing as I realized he wouldn't let this go until I agreed.

"Yes, fine, alright. I'll… I'll look into a few people. But the first sign of danger and I'm out!" Mr. Lancer nodded vigorously.

"Of course! I'm trying to help you here, Daniel, not put you into more danger." We all sat in silence, the tension in the air making it almost unbearable to breathe as everyone just sat, fiddling with coat sleeves or pencils, waiting. As soon as the sound of the bell echoed loudly in the hall, everyone was out the door and down the hallway as fast as they could get there, while I lingered behind. "Mr. Fenton, are you alright?" I scoffed at the standard question, but smiled at the teacher.

"I think- in time- I will be. Thank you, Mr. Lancer, for trying to help me." He frowned, but nodded, watching as I slung my nearly empty backpack over my shoulder and walked out the door.


End file.
